Journal Entry 7--Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014--Amboise, Clos Lucé, and Chenonceau--Da Vinci Decoded
Chateau Chenonceau--For years, I've dreamed of going there!
7. After breakfast in Chinon, we boarded the bus at the square in front of the Hotel de France, and Hervé drove us east toward Tours. Somewhere on the way, we crossed the old line that used to divide English from French territory. There were numerous rond-points (traffic circles), and at one, I noticed a large grocery store called a Carrefour; I would notice more of these later, so France did have chain stores, but they were smaller than our Walmarts. Houses were small, usually of limestonewith roofs of flat tiles or shale. Yards were tiny, but most people out here in the country had individual homes.
Tours seemed like a nice city--the largest we had been in since Paris. It was right on Loire River and served as a railroad hub. The river was impressively large--much wider than the Vienne in Chinon.
Jack Thomas and I discussed the historic importance of this place. It was the location of the famous Battle of Tours in 732 when Charles Martel (Charlemagne's grandfather) defeated a large Moslem Army and halted the movement of Islam from Spain into the rest of Europe.
We met our docent for the chateaus in downtown Tours and headed east right along the Loire to Amboise. Something we noticed, but that neither guide mentioned, was a large number of plots of land in the bottom area between the road and the river. These rectangular plots were fenced in areas of about 30' x 50' or 50' x 80' and often contained sheds, outbuildings, or small cabins. Though they were not being used for gardening this late in the year, they appeared to be family-owned plots for growing vegetables. I assume the French grew veggies as a recreational as well as practical family activity.
We finally reached the town of Amboise and observed its chateau on a hill overlooking the town and the Loire. It occupied a strategic high point with a view of the entire area not unlike the arrangement we had observed in Chinon. This castle, however, would prove to be less defensive, not as old, and more residential than the one the Plantagenets occupied. Hervé soon drove us through town, and as I passed by a medieval gate, I shot a picture of it from the bus.
Town of Amboise
Hervé soon drove us up to the castle, and we parked in front of a wall covered with a huge
wisteria vine. After the group went for a bathroom break, we headed up the incline to tour one of King Francois I's early homes. This is the place where he invited Leondardo da Vinci to come and live during his last years. I could see the chapel where da Vinci was entombed at the back corner of the hilltop.
Wisteria at Chateau Amboise
SURVEY OF FRANCE GROUP PICTURE--Amboise
That morning, Louis took a picture of our group: L-R back row--Gordon Smith, Paul Schuller, Jack Thomas, Richard Dillon and Margaret Dillon, Howard and Susan Hian, Joe Kratovil; middle row--Johanna Schuller, Sara Uehara, Florence Gross, Jane Kratovil, Helen and Len Andrew, Micky Skronski; front row kneeling--Russell (Rip) Baker, Miriam Stauff, Roy Derryberry, and Chris Pendley; m.i.a.--Geraldine Russell.
The rear entrance to Chateau Amboise
The docent told us that Chateau Amboise had been badly damaged during the French Revolution and had been restored later, but the size of the current building was far less than the original. As for as architecture went, this building represented the evolution from defensive chateaus to more residential buildings, yet this place had obviously been sited originally with the panoramic view of the entire area and its own hilltop inaccessibility in mind.
Our docent shows us the original extent of Chateau Amboise.
St. Hubert's Chapel viewed through window of first room
One wonderful room after another
I was impressed by the tapestry collection and the period antiques. Clearly brick had been used in the rebuilding. Brick would turn out to be the main building material for Leonardo's house. As we exited Amboise on a terrace overlooking the Loire, I took a few exterior shots and savored this view. The Loire Valley had occupied past daydreams, and here we were--there at last! Below us was the bridge we crossed to get here, and there also lay the panorama that the kings and queens of France and Leonardo da Vinci had looked at every day. This was great to see, and I lingered here on this big, round, tower-top terrace with several others before we went back to the chapel on the other side.
Chateau Amboise from the Loire River (Followed by pics taken from roof of round tower)
The roof of the round tower gave us fantastic views of the Loire Valley!
The Loire River--upstream
Looking downstream
I had finally made it to the Loire Valley!
Modern statue of da Vinci
Joe Kratovil in front of Chapel Saint-Hubert
Briefly, Francois I invited Leonardo to come here to live out his final years in comfort and share his brilliance. Leonardo accepted, and the king built a handsome brick residence for him in the town below, so he came here in 1515. We walked down the hill and all the way to CLOS LUCé.
On the outs with the powers that be in Florence, da Vinci was probably only too glad to come to a place where he could live and work in comfortable surroundings with royal patronage. As we toured the residence, I asked Louis about the choice of brick as the building material, and he said it was a newly developed product at the time and was warmer than limestone. Houses built of brick were easier to heat and much more comfortable than those with the enormous thermal mass of the usual limestone. The large bedroom still had the actual bed where Leonardo died. In the lower level of the chateau was a workroom with many of the devices he invented on display, and the yard beyond had
some, too.
We walked to Leonardo's house.
Chateau du Clos Lucé--Rose Garden in back
Front of Da Vinci's retirement home
This large multi-purpose bedroom is where da Vinci spent much time. It contains most of its original furniture.
Tapestry called The Battle of Tours
Da Vinci died in this room and on this bed in 1519 at age 77.
We leave one bedroom and enter another.
Gobelin silk tapestries in Leonardo's house
Rooms at Clos Lucé with models of Da Vinci inventions
Vegetable plots and outbuildings downhill from da Vinci's house give a view of the town and of the back of Amboise Chateau on the height and St. Hubert's Chapel.
After touring da Vinci's Chateau du Close Lucé and its beautiful grounds, we ate lunch at a restaurant just across the yard from it. We very much needed to relax and sit for a while after a long morning of walking, so the meal was not only very good, but it came as a welcome rest.
Après déjeuner came the the afternoon bus ride to the nearby town of Chenonceaux--with several more traffic circles to negotiate. For whatever reason, the spelling of the town's name ends with an x, but not the name of the residence. When we parked at the visitors' center at CHENONCEAU, it was apparent that the wooded grounds were vast and very beautiful. The chateau was not visible, for it lay far in the distance through huge iron gates, which we soon entered.
Louis gave us our tickets, and we went through the main gate for a long walk to the stone outbuildings preceding the tower and bridge which led to the Chateau. I had long wanted to see this place and imagined that the residence sat on a graceful bridge all the away across the Cher River, and this was true, but small access bridges were now on only one side of the chateau. I suppose that having one way in added to security. Again, I was extremely impressed by the immensity of the grounds which were extensive, beautiful, and immaculately cared for. I could have spent the day touring just the surroundings of the house.
Moat at entrance to Chenonceau
Nevertheless, we crossed over and entered the chateau, and I enjoyed every moment inside it. There was a large number of people doing the same thing we were, but I am sure the summer crowds would be much larger. The fireplaces were impressive and numerous, and several were blazing with wood which made the first room a little warm, but I really liked this touch. I especially enjoyed the splendor of the great hall and could easily imagine Diane de Poitier and later Catherine de Medici hosting masqued balls and other social events here.
By the way, as regent, Catherine de Medici ordered the infamous St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572, which lowered the boom on French Protestantism for all time to come.
I spent a great deal of time in two large kitchen areas studying the cooking fireplaces and a large "newer" stove. The fireplaces were ingenious in that they were well planned for roasting meat. Spits were powered by gravity; weights on pulleys turned them round as they sank through the floor and down toward the river below. I noticed iron fireplates to radiate heat behind special grates which were made to hold cuttings from the annual pruning of the grapevines. More dry grapevines would surely be added as the earlier ones burned up and would undoubtedly give the meat just the flavor the cook wanted.
Gordon at the entrance of Chateau Chenonceau
Portrait of Catherine de Medici
Chenonceau is not called "The Chateau of the Two Women" for nothing. Here's how wife Catherine de Medici later added her "C" to the crest which had designated this the home of Henry II and his mistress Diane de Poitier.
Catherine's jewelry box
The salamander was the symbol of Francois I.
Gravity-powered spits on pulleys
Looking across from Chateau to Catherine's Garden
Hall at Chenonceau--There have been some parties in this room!
Finally, I exited the chateau and crossed the bridge, but I still wanted to see the gardens designed by the women who had lived here. In this famous "chateau of the two women," the west garden had been put in by the first occupant and king's mistress, Diane de Poitier. When the French King Henry II died and Queen Catherine de Medici expelled Diane, the new occupant put in the smaller east garden. French Henry II should not be confused with English Henry II. The English version who resided in Chinon lived 400 years before Henri Deux of France.
I went to the small garden first, and from there I wanted to get a picture of me showing a side view of Chenonceau and the river below it. Since no one from my tour was handy, I tried doing a "selfie," which turned out so-so. After I did this, a man from a group of nearby young people walked over and said in very familiar-sounding English, "We'll be glad to take your picture if you will take ours." I thanked him, and we proceeded to trade picture-taking. Then I said, "I am from Texas, what about you?" The group immediately replied, "Great, we're from Arkansas!" It is a small world.
Their picture of me turned out fine, and once I thought it over later, I posted it on Facebook. Up till this photo was taken, I had resisted doing so for home security reasons, but Chenonceau was just too good not to share.
Here's my "selfie," and the picture below is the very first one I shared on Facebook.
Gordo at Chenonceau--Here at last, here at last, here at last!
I thought Louis had told us to be back at the visitors' center by 4:30, so since it was just 3:50, I headed over to Diane's Garden to check it out and was so awed by the flowers, the layout, and the size of it, that I could hardly tear myself away.
Original fountain of the Chateau in Diane's Garden
With growing concern, I noticed no one from my group and the sun getting lower, so I started the long return walk, but I could not help slowing down to admire the straight lines of the trees and the magnetic majesty of this place. To my right I looked town an "allee" of trees to a huge hedge maze in the distance and was sorely tempted to walk over to it, when I spotted a familiar figure approaching down the main walkway.
It was Louis! He was there to fetch me back to the bus. I had been mistaken about the rendezvous time and had delayed the departure by twenty-two minutes! Fortunately, he seemed understanding, and so were my fellow-travelers when we reached the bus. Then we drove back to Tours in the dusk and left our docent to the downtown area. Last, we returned to Chinon in the dark. As far historical complexity, today's tour was high on the list, but oh so satisfying to me.
After dinner on our own, we met in the hotel dining room for a wine lecture by Louis. This was helpful. He had us taste some reds and the more famous whites from the Couly-Dutheil vineyards right there in Chinon. He showed us how to swirl the wine in the glass and observe the pattern it made as it dripped down the inside. The more distinct the "legs," the better the wine. Legs were the post-swirl horizontal traces of wine on the inside of the glass.
Then we returned to our rooms to finish packing for a 7:00 exit tomorrow. We would be driving to Tours to catch the TGV for Bordeaux.
Fin
